Portable backstop



March 18; 1958 R. E. AUSTIN 2,327,295

PORTABLE BACKSTOP Filed Dec. 3, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l March 18, E958 R. E. AUSTIN 2,

PORTABLE BACKSTOP Filed Dec. 3, 1956 y 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNVENTOR Raymond EAusfin BY \muipj EMWLS WeCkM-B mxwb.

ATTORNEYS Fice t-l t es Patent PORTABLE BACKSTOP Raymond E. Austin, Freeport, N. Y.*, assignor to Austin Fence Co., Inc., a corporation of New Application December 3, 1956, Serial No. 625,644 Y 3 Claims. (Cl. 273-26) This invention relates to baseball backstops and, more particularly, to improvements in a portable backstop adapted to. be easily rolled about while fully assembled and which may be quickly dismantled after use.

A conventional baseball backstop generally comprises a covered three-sided cage in which two side panels are hinged to a rear panel and a topv panel is afiixed to the side and rear panels; In the assembled backstop, the side panels usually diverge outwardly toward the open end of the cage rather than extend outwardly in parallel. Hence, the top panel, if rigid, is substantially trapezoidal in shape, though netting is sometimes draped over the side and rear panels to serve as the cover.

To permit the cage to be easily rolled about, wheels have been mounted on the cage parallel to the lower edges of the side panels. Movement of such a structure may only be accomplished by unfastening and removing the top panel and swinging the side panels inwardly on their hinges until the wheels are aligned in parallel. After moving the cage, the side panels must again be spread apart and the top panel reattached. If this top panel is rigid, a great number of bolts must be laboriously fastened and unfastened each time the backstop is moved. Upon dismantling the backstop for storage or transportation, even more bolted joints and fastenings must necessarily be disconnected.

The present invention provides an improved portable structure which effectively eliminates these disadvantages which have previously been regarded as unavoidable features in commercial baseball backstops. The portable backstop of the present invention, when assembled, comprises a vertical rear panel, a pair of diverging vertical side panels, and an inclined overlying top panel. Though the assembled panels are rigidly interconnected, the only bolts required are those used in conjunction with a pair of detachable gusseting means, thus permitting exceptional ease in dismantling the cage. A wheel is mounted on each side panel of the structure in a plane other than the plane of that panel, so that upon assembly of the backstop the two wheels are operatively aligned in parallel. Hence, without any preliminary alterations, the assembled cage may be rolled about at will. Furthermore, the mounting for each wheel provides additional internal support for the respective side panel from which it extends.

Several specific embodiments of the invention have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which will more fully amplify the novel features of my portable backstop.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is an exploded view, substantially in perspective, of the embodiment of the backstop adapted for dismantling;

Fig. 2 illustrates in detail the novel wheel mounting on the side panel, and the detachable gusseting means between the side panel and the rear panel;

Fig. 3 is a view substantially in perspective of the em- 2 bodiment of the backstop not adapted for dismantling;

Fig. 4 illustrates in detail the means detachably joining the top panel of Fig. 1 to the side and rear panels.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, a vertical rear panel is detachably joined at each end to a pair of diverging vertical side panels 2 and 3, respectively. An inclined overlying top panel 4 is, in turn, detachably joined to the upper edges of the rear and side panels. Each panel, as shown, consists essentially of a wire screen 5 supported by a welded tubular frame 6. A number of hooking means 7 are incorporated on the lower edge of top panel 4 and engage the upper edges of the side and rear panels. As seen in more detail in Fig. 4, each of the hooking means 7 comprises a hook 8 welded to the side of the tubular member 9 defining the lower edge of the top panel. The hook 8 is adapted to overlie tubular member 10 defining the upper edge or" any of the side or rear panels. Hence, while books 8 hold the top panel 4 rigidly, relative to the other panels, they also permit the top panel 4 to be lifted freely from the other panels without unfastening any other form of attachment means.

Wheels 11 and 11' are rotatably mounted to side panels 3 and 2, respectively, at the lower corners thereof. Gussets 12 and 12' are welded at either end of the tubular member defining the lower edge of rear panel 1 and extend across and are detachably bolted to the tubular members defining the lower edges of side panels 2 and 3, respectively.

In Fig. 2 the mounting of wheel 11 upon side panel 3 and the gusseting means connecting the rear panel 1 and the side panel 3, are shown in more detail. The tubular member 16 defines the lower edge of rear panel 1 and has welded perpendicularly thereto another tubular member 17 defining one vertical edge of the rear panel. Similarly, the tubular member 18 defines the lower edge of side panel 3, and has a tubular member 19 Welded perpendicularly thereto to define one vertical edge of the side panel. A mounting plate 20 is welded to both tubular members 18 and 19, and has an axle 21 extending at right angles therefrom. It will be noted that mounting plate 20 is welded at an angle across the surface of tubular member 18 so that mounting plate 20 is disposed perpendicularly relative to tubular member 16. Since the mounting plate for opposite wheel 11' is similarly Welded on side panel 2 perpendicular to tubular member 16, the wheel 11, which is rotatably journaled upon axle 21, is operatively disposed parallel to wheel 11.

The mounting plate 29 also provides supplementary internal support for side panel 3 by serving as a reinforcing plate to maintain the rigidity of the tubular frame defining the side panel.

Gusset 12 is welded to the upper surface of tubular member 16 adjacent the end thereof and extends across to tubular member 18, where it is detachably joined by bolts 22 and 22'. Side panel 3, therefore, is attached directly to rear panel 1 solely by gusset 12, but is maintained in rigid juxtaposition thereto by the confinement imposed by the top panel 4 through hooking means 7.

Another form of this invention, illustrated in Fig. 3, contemplates an embodiment of my improved backstop which is not adapted to be dismantled. In View of the fact that the majority of the structural elements incorporated in the embodiment of Fig. 3 are identical to those of Fig. l, the same numbers have been given to like elements in each embodiment. Again, the novel wheel mountings and gusseting means illustrated in Fig- 2. are incorporated, as is the arrangement of the side panels 2 and 3 and top panel 4. However, in Fig. 3 a number of U-clamps 23 are incorporated to aflix top Patented Mar. 18, 1958' panel 4 :to the side panels 2 and 3 and rear panel 1. The lower extremities of u clamps 23 are preferably bolted together. As in the embodiment of Fig. 1, the

gussets 12 and 12' are welded to the rear frame 1 an 7 bolted to th'e'side frames Sand 2, respeetively. dati 7 ,1

1. A-rigid portable backstop comprising afvertieal rear panel, a' pair of d 'ivergiiztg vertical side-panels joined to said rear panel, an inclined overlying top panel ioined' to the upper edges of said rear and side panels, 'alpair of gussets each aflixed at one end'to the lower edge of said rear panel and secured at theother end to the lower edge of each Of said side panels, and 'a pair orwhee-ls rotatabl y inonnted on the lower edge of said diverging side panels adjacent said rear'panejl, said wheels 'being rotatable in' planes {parallel to each other an axle means substantially Coaxial and parallel to the rear panel, the mounting" for said'wheels providing reinforcing supat one end to the lower edge'of said rear panel and detachably secured at the other end to the lower edge of one of said side panels, means for detachably joining said top panel to said side and rear panels, thereby permitting said top panel substantial freedom of movement upwardly, and a wheel rotatably mounted on the lower edge of each of said diverging -side panels'adjacent said rear panel, the wheels being rotatable in planes parallel to each other and on axle means substantially coaxial and parallel to the rear panel, the mounting for said Wheels providing reinforcing support :for the side panels.

3. A rigid portable backstoplaccerdioz ate 1 wherein each of said panels consists essentially of a wire screen supported by a tubnlarframe.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED1 SEFA'BESw PAIZENTS:

FO EIGN PATENTS", I v a 2,023 a Great Britain 1902;

Burrell ,...'Nov;13,1 19 53 

